Supra Tempus et Memoriam

Aedificata Fuit Iuvenis

It took less than an hour of harassment from the Aquillan men to make Justinius leave the crowded sleeping quarters to wander the halls of the Aequendar palace. He brushed a hand through his still-damp hair from the baths, listening to the laughs that followed him into the antechamber, and said, “I fear what impression they will have of us if they are watching.”

Ardellius followed him into the antechamber that split the baths from the guest room. “Justinius! Come back! You react too easily! That's why they do it.”

“I am fully aware they are looking for a reaction to gain more pleasure. But I am sorry if you expect me to hear one more tale about how my father found some northern woman attractive and how exactly they conceived me.”

“Don’t be a prude,” Ardellius scoffed. “Just laugh with them and they will get tired of it.”

Justinius shook his head. “I don’t feel like dealing with them today. I’d rather go exploring.”

“Do you think the Aequendar will appreciate you snooping around their most hallowed and ancient halls?”

“I won't be snooping. I mean only to look about. I won’t go anywhere that looks off limits.”

Ardellius laughed at Justinius’s retreating back. “Good luck defining what that is. Have fun snooping!”

Justinius left their quarters and found the bridge to the palace shrouded in darkness, lit only by the light of the almost full moon shining over the city high above. The city below was lit with many torches and the noise of a still bustling city could be heard. The guards flanking the door stiffened as he emerged but didn’t move. Their gaze was fixed and Justinius, after a momentary pause, continued without being harassed. He carefully crossed the bridge, clinging to the rail as a comforting support.

When Justinius reached the palace, he decided to explore the hallways that led to the rooms he had peered through earlier. The first he saw was an art room with many busts, statues, and paintings of events he didn’t recognize. Some were battles against shadowy figures. Some were magnificent landscapes. Some were giant creatures with huge legs, wings, scales, and teeth.

The final picture he saw made him shiver. It was an Aequendar, dark robes swirling about him, a heavy helmet with a spiked crown hiding his face. A storm of fire raged about him and, floating before him, was a crystal, black as night. It was the same as his own.

“Wenire.”

Justinius nearly jumped when the whisper echoed out of the darkness to him. He turned about, looking for who had spoken the word “come” to him in Aequendar.

There was no one. “Wenire.”

The hissing whisper returned. This time Justinius jerked his head toward the sound. It was coming down an empty hallway that he hadn’t seen. Justinius wasn’t sure if he heard the voice with his ears or in his mind.

“Wenire.”

“Why?” Justinius whispered in return down the dark hallway.

“Wenio,” was the reply.

See. Someone wanted him to see something. He looked about, unsure of what he should do. “What do you want?”

“Wenire.”

Justinius frowned then repeated the question in Aequendar. “Quid fakies wolo?”

The voice answered, “Weritas.”

Truth.

Justinius looked around one more time then slowly proceeded down the hall. It was undecorated and, at its end, there was an open doorway with a light inside. “Wenire.”

Justinius entered and found himself standing in a circular room, lit by several torches. It was bare save for what stood in its center. It was a dark crystal, just like his own, but massive. It reached above his head and toward the ceiling high above. Within its depths, dark clouds swirled about and a figure seemed to move within. Justinius began to circle it warily, staring into its dark depths. A gasp tore from his throat when, in a swirl of clouds, the figure appeared. Its entire body was black as night, its hair flowing about like it was underwater, and its glowing, slanted eyes the only visible feature on its face.

“Wenire. Wenio.”

Come. See. Justinius suddenly didn’t trust it anymore. Its hand extended and touched the surface of the crystal like it was reaching out to him. “Wenire.”

Justinius pulled back. “No.”

“It won’t hurt you.”

Justinius whirled around to see Falehiem standing in the doorway. He didn’t look mad or irritated but only smiled politely at him. “What?”

Falehiem moved into the room. “I said, it won’t hurt you. It merely wants to frighten you. It doesn’t know where it is.”

Justinius turned to look back at the crystal. “I know this…or rather I have seen it before.”

Falehiem’s gaze turned wary. “Where have you seen it before?”

“Well, not this exactly. I have seen a smaller version of this.”

He produced the crystal from his pocket, something he had made a habit of always carrying around, afraid one of the Aquillan men would go through his things as a joke, find it, and steal it. Falehiem’s gaze hardened like iron. “I am not pleased to see one of those within my halls. I do not know how you found it or where it came from but I would suggest you keep it hidden. My people have long memories and our history and hatred with such magic runs deep.”

“So, it's magic.”

The Aequendar gave him an incredulous look. “As if it could be anything else.”

“How is it? I mean…what does it do?”

“It contains power within which, when taken, can give a person incredible powers but will always come at a cost and consume the wielder. Magic in itself is not inherently evil. It is a gift to a few by The Cause for specific reasons. For example, I can speak absolute truth and have any who hears it recognize it. Surely you must have noticed this?”

“I did. I wondered how you did that…and rather hoped I could replicate it.”

Falehiem smiled. “I am afraid you can’t replicate the power. Everyone’s powers are specifically tailored to their strengths. Those who did not receive magic naturally and choose to steal it are ultimately consumed by the power and made into twisted forms of who they once were unless they be of pure intention and selfless.”

Justinius thought back to the creature that had attacked him and Lumina the night they first met. “I got it from a northern man who seemed mostly…tree. I can’t explain it.”

Falehiem shook his head. “I do not need details. But it holds a terrible power and should never be accessed. You would do well to be rid of it.”

“Wenio.”

Justinius turned back to the crystal and the dark form within. “So what is this? And why does it call to me?”

“This is a remnant of that dark power from long ago,” said Falehiem. “As to the creature inside, it is a shade, a remnant of an Aequendar who once lived, now doomed to serve the darkness it was meant to destroy. It seeks to show you what lies beyond the veil of this world, past space and time, and dishearten you. You may look if you wish.”

Justinius still hesitated. He wanted to see, to touch magic like he never had before, but it seemed unwise. “Will it hurt me?”

“It will not.”

“What will I see?”

“That which came before even the Aequendar.”

Justinius inched closer to the crystal but kept his hand lowered, fear still clouding his mind. He looked back to the Aequendar. “Are you sure this won’t hurt me?”

Falehiem smiled and repeated his line, the truth ringing from it clear and unmistakable, that it would not hurt him. “Tu non esse laeditur.”

Justinius took a deep breath and placed his hand against the crystal and the hand of the smoky figure.

His vision was suddenly transported from the room. His entire body felt like it spun upside down and a sudden shock of heat filled his body. With a sudden twist, his body was back on firm ground and he tried not to fall over, his stomach squirming with nausea. His mind was disoriented at the sudden shift in scene and he had to blink and rub his eyes to clear his vision.

He found himself in a rocky, mountainous landscape. Death was all around him: trees burned in the distance, skeletal remains filled a crevice nearby, and the sky was gray, filled with smoke and ash. In the distance, a roar filled his ears as something moved, causing the ground to quake. Shades of figures, like the one he had seen in the crystal, walked about. Their armor was dark like them and their weapons dripped with blood and shadows. They ignored Justinius, their pale glowing eyes steadfastly gazing ahead as they marched.

Justinius moved aside, almost tripping in his haste as he looked down to see he was standing in the remnants of a dead body. A gurgle of horror escaped him and he stumbled back onto a burned stump. Shrieks came overhead and winged creatures swooped low, their dirty bodies just breaking the smoke before disappearing, leaving a trail of rotted feathers falling in their wake. Atop a hill, a slug-like creature thrust its weight forward, belching forth putrid slime and ooze.

The roar came again. Justinius turned to see, from the burning woods, a creature of immense size charging toward him. Its body was the color of a fresh bruise, its head topped with sharp horns, eyes wild and glowing with rage, mouth filled with massive fangs and froth flew as it bellowed. Its two-legged gait carried it quickly toward Justinius, its sweating body gleaming in the light of the fire behind it. He wanted to run but felt his body unable to. His lungs filled with ash and his mind felt muddled. His limbs betrayed him and he filled with despair. He turned to see the shadowy form that had led him here staring at him.

“Stop,” Justinus choked.

The creature's roar sounded right next to him and he fell backward to the stone floor of the round chamber, the crystal still glowing in the torchlight in front of him. “Wenio.”

Justinius turned to Falehiem, breathing heavily. “What was that?! What did I see?!”

Falehiems gaze was sad as he answered. “That which came before us…and what we destroyed ourselves with.”

Justinius shook his head. “That makes no sense. Speak plainly!”

Faleheim lowered a hand to help him up. “Come with me. To answer your question will require a detailed explanation. And I always find that a good story needs some context.”

Falehiem led Justinius out of the chamber, down a hall, and, after grabbing a torch at its base, up a spiraling staircase. As they trudged up, Justinius asked, “Where are we going?”

“To my library.”

“What was that thing down there?”

“I will explain in more detail. For now, know that it is a reminder to us of our past. It is a warning for my people.”

After many more flights of stairs and another hallway, they emerged into a massive chamber with a balcony running its length. From top to bottom, shelves upon shelves of scrolls, bound leather books, papyrus sheets, and clay tablets. Large windows allowed the moonlight to shine on a single, octagonal table resting in the center of the room. Falehiem lit a brazier and continued to light further torches as he said, “Welcome to my library, the work of my family over a thousand human generations.”

Justinius looked in awe at the library, one hundred times larger than the one at his father's villa in the countryside. “How much I might have learned if I spent fifteen years of my life here,” he muttered.

“Indeed!” said Falehiem, now placing the torch in a sconce and searching the shelves for something. “Even I have not read every work in this library and I am several hundred years old.”

“What?!”

“Here it is,” said Falheim, pulling a leather-bound tome from a shelf. “A brief history of the fair folk and strong ones, or that is the rough translation.”

He placed the book reverently on the table and beckoned Justinius over. “Come, see for yourself. This tome is updated every few hundred years. The last entry was shortly after our war with the Aquillans, what you call the fair folk wars.”

Justinius moved to the table and stared down at the brown leather cover, worn with age and many hands touching it. He reached out to touch it then hesitated. “May I?”

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

“Of course,” said Falehiem, “Only be very careful. Though a copy of the original, it is still very old.”

Justinius opened the book to the first page and saw a great deal of Aequendar writing, much of which he struggled to translate. It seemed to be a list of names, the writers of the book. “Are these the authors?”

“They are. They have painstakingly taken note of what has occurred around them and written it down as best they could in this book.”

“Are you saying this book is completely accurate of all that happened?”

“Hardly. No one is without bias. There will always be missing pieces of the puzzle.”

Justinius wanted to study the entire book but paused. “Why do you show me this, Lord Falehiem?”

Falehiem studied his face intently. “I sense you desire the truth. I will show it to you.”

“But…of what?”

“Of your world. That every choice has consequences. And yours may be on the verge of making the same mistakes we did.”

He turned a page and Justinius saw a carefully drawn picture of a night sky and a star falling to the earth below, already pockmarked with flaming debris. He looked at the title. “The…coming of the…what?”

“Your language has no equivalent,” said Falehiem. “It means ancestors to you, but to us, it has the deeper meaning of those whose essence runs through us, passed on by blood, spirit, and learning. There is a reason the Aequendar like Wilkias called you men of clay. Humans came from the mud and slime of the earth before life was breathed into them by The Cause. However, before the humans came to be, there were other races, the fair folk, and the strong ones. It is said that we were made from earth as well, but not the earth of this world. We were created from the earth of fallen stars from the sky. From the rock and fire were our kind born.”

Falehiem turned the page as Justinius processed this. On the next page though were three pictures. “Of the fair folk, there was the Aequendar, my kind, first. Strong, powerful, graceful, and full of wonder and artistic skill, we were created to be the strongest of the fair folk, masters of the arts, who would guard and nurture this world and learn to be the wisest of all creatures. Second to emerge were the Elfin, the small cousins of ours. Carefree, happy, and innocent as newborns with the skills of an adult, they were created to teach all the lessons of harmony and felicity. Perpetually happy and beyond reproach, they would thrive and enjoy the fruits of the earth while always finding the perfect balance of harmony and use of the land.

“The final fair folk were the Fatae. They were the smallest, most fragile, yet the greatest in heart of all our kind. They had the deepest connection with nature, both in the living elements and the unliving. They were created to care for the land always and care nothing for glory, riches, or honor, but ferociously guard all that was sacred to them and learn the secrets of the world that could not be seen to those of a larger size. Three races of fair folk, all living together in harmony, in a world of danger.”

Falehiem had been pointing to each of these pictures as he spoke of the races and Justinius soaked in their images one by one. At this point in the narration, Falehiem came to a sudden halt. “We…are not quite sure how this came to be, but there are legends that I would rather not get into. Suffice to say, this new world we landed on was already occupied by inhabitants. We arrived on a world much destroyed by forces unknown, which was why it was our duty to nurture and regrow it. We were promised by The Cause that, if we healed and regrew the world, all that we touched and rebuilt would be ours to rule and care for. However, the land was infested with dangerous creatures. Daemones.”

“Daemones?” asked Justinius.

Falehiem nodded.“Creatures of all manner of ferocious size and horror. They prowled the ruined world, destroying everything in their path and enslaving the spirits of mortals. And while we were capable of growing life anew on the world, we were not capable of defeating the daemones. The Aequendar were most powerful but at the time were newly made and incapable of fighting such a foe. But The Cause provided the strong ones.”

Falehiem turned the page and, accompanied with more writing, three more pictures drew Justinius’s gaze. Falehiem continued. “The first of the strong ones was the Gritzask, the lizard men. They were reptilian beings, powerful in body and limb, covered in a hide of thick scales yet capable of standing on two legs and with long reptilian faces. They stood at least a head above most Aequendar and were capable of fighting almost any daemones. They were the first to do organize a military. They would constantly push outward and were the main force used to drive back the daemones and keep up a border guard.”

Justinius stared at the reptilian being in the picture before him, with its hardened gray scales, long tale, and bone armor covering its body, sharp fangs poking forth, and a sturdy spear and shield in hand. The weapons and armor may have appeared primitive, but there was nothing weak or inferior about this creature's look.

Falehiem pointed to the next picture. “The second strong one was the Homentis. They appear the most similar to humans, with human features and bodily limbs. However, the average Homentis stood at least three times taller than the tallest man. They were tasked with guarding the lands already conquered and under the cultivation of the fair folk and were considered the most peaceful as they were the protectors rather than aggressors. Though large, the Homentis had a tendency to grow and tend to the land just as much as the Aequendar had to forge weapons and build great cities. And lastly, the greatest strong one.”

The picture was that of a massive, scaled creature with wings, like the one he had seen in the painting in the exhibit. “That is but one of many of the Leviathans,” said Falehiem. “Massive creatures of all sizes, living in the air, the sea, and beneath the earth. They still exist, hiding in the many places of the world for they are feared and often hunted by humans or seen as gods. They reshaped the world and still shift it to this day, though many are either extinct or sleep deeply for when they do wake, the earth shakes and is remade.”

Justinius shook his head. “So…what happened to them? I only know of fair folk.”

Falehiem smiled sadly. “Unfortunately, we too did not always follow the roles we had been assigned by The Cause. We lived several millennia in this fashion, in conflict and peace, just as humans have done for the past millennium. Then we fell. Perhaps we had disobeyed The Cause too many times and we ran out of chances to atone and fix our mistakes or perhaps we were just meant to eventually fall…as perhaps humans are. No matter. What is important is that we did fall, all of our races.”

He turned several pages, scanning through their long history until his fingers stopped upon a gruesome image. “The Gritzask, being warlike, eventually saw those beneath them as weak and sought to conquer them all. The war was terrible. Thousands upon thousands fell in battle and the world suffered terrible destruction. We finally drove them to the southern lands that the humans there call Al’Janub Albarari. We know they still live there but know little of their actions.”

Falehiem was turning pages slowly now, showing many images that caused Justinius to shiver in horror. Visions of carnage and death were the only things to be seen in each piece of artwork. “The Homentis turned on one another in a civil war between their people as the previous war caused many to become bloodthirsty and violent. All those who were wild were driven far to the north where they dwell to this day, dark and terrible. Those remaining have dwindled to uninhabited lands and have all but disappeared. Many of these have been snared by humans and used as slaves.”

Evan looked up, aghast. “Who uses them as slaves?”

“The men of the Warath Empire consider it a sign of wealth to have such a “creature” as a prize slave or ornament.”

Justinius shook his head, saddened by the thought of anything from old being so abused. Falehiem smiled sadly. “There are many such tales I could tell, of men abusing and slaughtering those who came before even as we did to you in days past. If I continued with these stories I would talk all day. Let us continue with our history. As wars with the Homentis concluded, many of the Aequendar considered this time to be a golden age for our kind. We had spread across the world, survived two wars and had become stronger for it, and built great cities, with towers that touched the skies. But it was not enough. Magic had always existed, but we sought to recreate it and become The Cause ourselves.”

Falehiem shook his head sadly. “I do not know how we created crystals, like the one you hold. But we were able to contain magic within them and learned to…grow them from the earth.”

“Grow them?”

“I am sorry, there is no clearer translation other than they form in the earth over centuries. We took this magic for ourselves and became strong, destroying any Leviathan that dared to oppose our changes. Though we grew strong, we fought and bickered with one another, kingdom against kingdom. Then, our greatest mistake came about…we fell prey to the very creatures we had been sent to destroy in the beginning. We listened to the whispers of the daemones and summoned them to this world to fight for us. And we used them, or rather they used us, in one massive war. They turned on us and so began our final conflict. We used our magic upon one another and the environment, releasing daemones once more and unleashing powers that shook the very foundations of the world, causing it to crack, crumble, and burn.”

Justinius sat still, unwilling to interrupt this story, horrible as it was to hear. Falehiem sighed and continued. “It was what you saw in that crystal. When we arose from the ashes, there were few of our race left. Our ambition and pride, lust and hatred…had destroyed us and everyone else in the world. Then it was said The Cause spoke to every creature on the earth. He told us that, because of transgressions, we would no longer rule the world as we once had. Instead, he would plant a new race to grow and thrive, enjoying the pleasures of the world he had made for his creations and ruling as was their right and privilege. But before he would create this next race, it would be our duty to reshape and regrow the world we had destroyed, so that it might be livable again for a new, infant race.”

“It was us…” Justinius said quietly. “It was our race you were preparing for.”

Falehiem smiled sadly. “We did our duty. Regrew the world piece by piece until, one day, the first man and woman were made from the mud of the earth. The full history between Aequendar and humans could take days to recount but suffice to say we coexisted peacefully enough. But…time showed our true purpose. Our kind slowly began to fade and diminish in power and population while the humans expanded and grew in theirs. They spread across the world, while all other species retreated further and further into remote areas. And so…here we are.”

The silence stretched as Justinius contemplated this but Falehiem shut the book with a loud thump. “But, I suppose you are wondering what good such a depressing and dark history is to you. Am I not right?”

“Oh, uh…yes, I suppose so.”

“We were given great gifts from The Cause and we misused them and destroyed one another as well as the world given to us. Humans may be on the brink of committing the same mistakes. Your republic is already about to sink into war. The empires of this world are not as indomitable as they believe. And worse, I have heard rumors of magic returning, magic we once tampered with.”

Justinius took the gem from his pocket and stared at it, lying darkly in his palm. “I’m not sure. I found this on a Northman who was…part plant. I’m not even sure what was happening. All I know is he attacked me and my friend. Do you know what is going on up there?”

“I have some kin among them,” said Falehiem. “I also am in contact regularly with the Dimidium tribe, those of our kind who intermingled their blood with the humans. Rumors from them speak of ancient leviathans stirring from sleep and the tribes are in a state of war. It is not unusual for men in these conditions to seek new ways to destroy one another, as we did.”

Justinius looked down at the gem. “Surely one little thing like this couldn’t do so much damage.”

Falehiem pointed to the gem. “You do not know the power they can possess. The most simple gem can produce the effect you saw on that northman. There are some, however, that, if taken, can give certain wearers untold powers. If that kind of magic returns, and the power within it is seized by humans, I fear you will follow the same path as us. What will the end result be? You saw our end…are you certain that humans will not suffer the same fate?”

Justinius felt his mind whirling from all he had learned. “I think…I think I need to sit down.”

Falehiem nodded. “Take your time.”

Justinius found a seat by the table and sank into it. There was so much to take in so quickly. The possibility of the world falling apart…ending as he had seen in the crystal. It was overwhelming. He looked around, realizing where he was. He was in an ancient tower of the Aequendar, built over a thousand years ago, or so said the plaque the tour guide showed him. His country was on the verge of war with Carxandria, the Aequendar, the Warathian Empire and even its own people within its lands. He felt the cold gem in his hand and he looked down at it, suddenly aware he also was holding something that held the potential power to destroy everyone around him. He shuddered and felt his vision tunneling. He was suddenly aware he was holding his breath and he focused only on taking deep, steadying breaths.

He took deep, steadying breaths. He wasn’t sure why he was here. He was a long way from his home where he had spent many years living a solitary, rather peaceful existence, far removed from the troubles of the world. Now it all felt so near and so dangerous. He closed his eyes and continued to breathe until he felt himself calming. When he opened his eyes, Falehiem was looking at him silently, bent over a scroll, his pen to the page. “Feeling overwhelmed by it all?”

“How do you seem to know everything I am thinking?”

Falehiem smiled. “In this case, it isn’t hard to tell. But when you have lived as many years as I have and made a study of living beings in general, you pick up a few things.”

Justinius nodded but didn’t respond. Falehiem finished scribbling some note on the scroll and turned to give him his undivided attention. “Don’t be afraid of it all, Justinius Honerius. The Cause has set all things in motion to work out in the end. All we need to do is see our part in it and choose what is right.”

A choked bark of laughter escaped Justinius before he could stop himself. “And how do we know what that is?”

Falehiem smiled. “You will know…when you listen.”

Justinius stood up, shaking his head in irritation. “I’ve never had the patience for riddles. As for it all being well, it was not so for your people.”

“But we made our choices and we still live. I’d say we are lucky to be here after all we’ve done.”

Justinius walked to the window and stared out at the city far below. He wasn’t sure how to speak of the fear in his heart that was consuming him. Falehiem’s footsteps approach from behind and the calm, confident voice asked him, “What troubles you?”

After some moments, Justinius said, “It must be wonderful…to sit here day in and day out, reading, writing, distant from the world and its troubles.”

Falehiem lifted his eyebrows slightly. “Ah…I see. Justinius…this library contains the struggles and pains of generations of Aequendar and humans. I won't escape it by remaining here.”

“Yes but you don’t actually live those events,” said Justinius. “When I lived in my fathers villa, it felt that way. I read a great deal, I learned a great deal. But never did I have to live in the catastrophes I read about. I imagine it's the same here. Up here it must feel so disconnected from the world. You just read about things.”

“Yes, Justinius, that may be true. It was the purpose of this library's construction in a high tower. However, it is but an illusion.”

“What do you mean?”

Falehiem moved to the table where the scroll lay open, ink fresh upon its pages. “I have recently finished writing about the events that transpired in the woods, how I fought and killed Aquillan men who had slaughtered those I was meant to protect. Even here in my work, I am reminded of the reality outside of this tower. As mortal beings, we cannot escape the trials of the world by hiding from them or simply reading about them. In the end, we must all face them.”

Justinius shrugged his shoulders, his breath escaping in another mirthless laugh. “I do sometimes wish I could go back to that life I had before,” he said, looking about at the library. “It was like a stasis, never in movement save whatever you add to it by your writings. There is a part of me that…maybe, wishes I could stay here and read every work in this library and forget the outside world...”

His voice trailed off as he felt how untrue his words were. He thought of his family, of those he had recently met who had been kind to him, of Lumina. He knew he wouldn’t be content to stay here for long with such things calling from outside.

Falehiem approached him and placed a hand on his shoulder. Justinius was surprised to see a look of sadness on his face. “Now you understand the desire I have had before. The desire many possess. But we cannot run from the world. We may avoid pain, yes, but what of joy? What about your family? What of your friends…or the family you may yet have? Would you give up everything that life contains to feel safe within a stasis? In the end, we would all have to admit to ourselves that we cannot exist without the joys that come with life…even if there is pain that goes with it.”

Justinius looked into the Aequendar’s eyes and knew his answer. “No. I suppose you are right.” He took a deep, shuddering breath. “Oh…but what a world I have to face if there are such dangers as you describe waiting out there…”

Falehiem smiled wistfully. “The world is rarely what we would wish it to be. But, we may find that it could turn out in a way we never expected…and yet we still find happiness.”

Justinius nodded, suddenly feeling embarrassed at Falehiem’s honest and open treatment with him. He had never had anyone speak so truthfully and yet so kindly and openly with him before…only Lumina was the exception. But even to her, there was often a guarded countenance. This man was himself with Justinius, and was willing to have Justinius be open and honest himself. He shook his head, laughing. “I’m sorry. I must be silly, getting worked up and wanting to run away from my problems.”

“Every mortal faces this crisis,” said Falehiem, “There is no shame in it. Face it and you will conquer it. Now, I must finish some work and you should rest. There is a great feast tomorrow night in your honor. It would be best if you were well-rested for the event.”

Justinius nodded and made his way to the stairs. Suddenly aware of his manners, he turned back to Falehiem who was still smiling kindly at him. “Thank you…Lord Falehiem.”

“Of course. I will remember our talk, and so will our library. I will make a note of your visit in the guest log. Now, you too shall be immortalized in our work.”

It seemed a silly comment but it made Justinius smile and a thrill ran up his spine. “Thank you. Pax tecum.”

“Et Wos,” replied the Aequendar with a bow.

Justinius descended the stairs, hoping he could find his way back to the room. There was one last matter he had to decide on. He looked at the crystal, still in his hand. If this object was truly evil, surely he should be rid of it. But a part of him didn’t want to. At the very least, it was impossible to be rid of here, among the Aequendar. It would be best to keep it out of sight until they returned home.

Then, he could decide what to do with it.